ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Tetrahymena termophila as a source of the opioid receptors for testing of opioid peptides
E. Kostyra, H. Kostyra*, 1. B. Jarmołowska, S. Krawczuk
More details
Hide details
Faculty of Biology, Warmia and Mazuria University in Olsztyn, Poland
1. Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of Polish Academy of Sciences in Olsztyn
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2002;11(6):707-712
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
Limitations on the use of animals for biological experiments has forced a search for alternative simpler organisms for testing the biological activity of organic compounds. The aim of this research was to use Tetrahymena termophila for testing the opioid activity of peptide, -casomorphin-7, isolated from cheese. Three kinds of test were used: 1) test for inhibition of protozoa mobility, 2) trap test, and 3) phagocytose test. The results for the trap test suggests that it can be used to determine the presence of harmful substances occurring in food. Determination of the opioid properties using the phagocytose test showed that morphine inhibits the phagocytose process of Tetrahymena termophila. -casomorphin-7 had smaller inhibitory effect on phagocytosis than morphine. it can be said that our results and literature prove the possibility of using protozoa Tetrahymena termophila for studies of antinutritional substances and opioids in raw and food products.